Archive for the ‘Damon Ristau’ tag

The Grundmann 1938 Type 1 prototype, the oldest known Volkswagen in existence.

Vintage Volkswagen fans have found a kindred spirit in Missoula, Montana-based filmmaker Damon Ristau, whose Firewater Film Company was responsible for the incredible documentary film, The Bus. Since its April 2012 premiere at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina, this feature-length production has been screened at festivals and events on six continents. It tells the story of the creation of the Volkswagen Type 2 – which would be known as Kombi, Bus, Microbus, Westy and many other names – its impact on popular culture and the feelings this vehicle brought out in its owners. We reviewed this film for “The Goods” in Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car #95 and recommended it wholeheartedly:

This iconic Volkswagen’s story is woven through with nostalgic contemporary materials and with personal commentary from some of the individuals who have driven and identified with it for decades. The 63-minute film is a carefully crafted, engaging love letter that every true car enthusiast will appreciate.

At that time, Damon told us that he’d planned The Bus to be the middle installment in a trilogy that would also include the future films The Bug and The Ghia. He is currently in production of The Bug. He filmed some of this new movie’s content at the 2013 Mid America Motorworks Funfest for Air-Cooled VW celebration.

To raise money that will go towards the completion of The Bug, Damon has launched a fundraising campaign on Kickstarter. For those unfamiliar with Kickstarter, it’s a simple platform for people to contribute toward artistic projects like this documentary feature film, and takes an “all or nothing” approach: If the artists reach their fundraising goal, they receive the promised pledge backing (and the pledgers receive the thank-you gifts that vary in relation to the amount pledged); if they don’t reach their goal in the allotted time, the artists don’t receive any backing, and the pledgers aren’t charged. “It’s less of people donating, and more pre-ordering the film,” he explains.

The Bug movie will be a larger, more comprehensive story about Volkswagen and about the impact of the automobile, but still retain the fun-loving, art-of-road tripping and the spirit of what The Bus movie represented. I’m calling it the “prequel” to The Bus, there’s some overlap of characters and story, but mostly the whole new cast of colorful characters and inspiring stories.

Damon Ristau at a screening of The Bus in Spain.

When we spoke with Damon last week, he was at Volkswagen headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany. He was present when The Bus was screened at a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles management conference in Hannover, and he spent time filming in the Autostadt, adjacent to the VW factory, and in the famous AutoMuseum Volkswagen. He also successfully met with Volkswagen’s lead archivist to secure historic footage licensing for The Bug.

“Herbie,” from The Love Bug.

If your life was in some way touched by the unassuming Type 1 “people’s car,” you’ll want in on this great project! And we’ll happily anticipate the Karmann Ghia tribute to follow…